Yoga still has certain stigmas attached to it – people often judge it as one of ‘those’ activities carried out by ‘those’ types of people. In the 60s this might have been the case, but today yoga is carried out by people worldwide from all different backgrounds including the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team and a number of NFL teams; recently Manchester United veteran Ryan Giggs credits yoga as the reason he has been able to play football for the length of his career.
It is great as a sole form of keeping fit and healthy or as a complementary routine to cardio-based workouts. It’s perfect for adding interest to your normal routine and can used a different set of muscles to exercise such as running or cycling.
Originating in India over 5,000 years ago, yoga is known to have a wealth of physical and psychological benefits. Literally translating as ‘to join’ or ‘to yolk’, yoga is all about getting the mind and body in sync which in turn benefits both.
It is great to start with a class to avoid injury, gain good instruction and to avoid over exerting muscles you have not used before. If you aren’t confident about joining a class you could try a DVD or follow tutorials on YouTube until you build the confidence to join a class.
Yoga is a system of physical exercise which has many different forms and can be fast-paced or slow-paced depending on the variation you choose. Here’s a little insight in to the types you can try and why we think you’ll like them.
Ashtanga yoga
Vigorous style of yoga. A series of poses or ‘asanas’ which are held for a set period of time with a half sun salutation in between to transition between poses. The emphasis is on movement throughout practice so might be a good choice for people who have tried yoga before or who are used to dance based workouts. You’ll like it if you enjoy change and movement.
Bikram yoga
Designed to make you sweat. Popular with anyone who wants to work hard – excellent for strength building and can aid with weight loss. This is a firm favourite amongst the LA set and has a wealth of famous followers including Robbie Williams and Jennifer Anniston. It features 26 yoga poses which both stretch and strengthen the muscles and is designed to cleanse the body of toxins. The poses are carried out in a heated room to further release toxins and to cleanse the body through practice.
Hatha yoga
Generally a gentle form of yoga, great for beginners. Hatha yoga has a strong focus on the physical element of yoga and is a great opportunity to practice the ‘asanas’ or poses. It is often a gentle yoga class which is ideal for beginners as it gives a good grounding of a variety of poses.
Iyengar yoga
Works on perfecting poses. This is great for people who’ve tried yoga before and want to refine their technique or for beginners who want to concentrate on alignment and the subtleties of poses. Iyengar yoga is similar in style to Ashtanga yoga but its focus is perfection of technique using props including belts, blocks and bolsters.
Kundalini yoga
Designed to awaken the body. Great if you are feeling sluggish and need revitalising – ideal for Autumn when the ‘winter blues’ can sometimes set in. Kundalini yoga is movement or ‘dynamic’ yoga designed to awaken energy in the spine. Kundalini yoga classes include meditation, breathing techniques and chanting, as well as yoga postures.
Mysore style
Mysore is great for learning. For beginners and experienced practitioners alike, Mysore is Ashtanga yoga taught one-to-one in a group setting with students being able to turn up at any time in a three hour window. It allows students to focus on their own path and more one-to-one guidance than most other group classes.
Restorative yoga
Designed to heal the body and mind. Great if you feel stressed and need to unwind.Emphasis is on the allowing the body and mind to repair with poses being held for as long as 20 minutes using props including bolsters, pillows and straps. It gives time to focus on enabling the body and mind to relax.
Vinyasa flow
A dynamic yoga class which focuses on changing through a series of poses. This is great if you are looking for a more physical class with slightly less emphasis on the psychological aspect. It is ideally suited to people who have tried slower forms of yoga before so students can learn some poses in a non-dynamic environment before adding the factor of flowing movement in to their practice.
Yin yoga
Focusses on flexibility and relaxation. Yin yoga is seated practise which is designed to work the deep connective tissues in the hips, pelvis and lower spine. Poses are held for between five and ten minutes and give an opportunity to focus on mental relaxation as well as physical relaxation. Ideal for people who practice other sports which are stressful for the joints and muscles to counteract this.
Which is your favourite type of yoga? Email us at info@tonyprycesports.co.uk or leave a comment.